


Picturesque

by madnessmuse



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Genre: Comfort, Developing Relationship, Gen, M/M, Phones, Pre-Movie, Pre-Slash, Robotnik: hold my latte-, Stone: wow I sure did invade his privacy huh, This was supposed to just be fluffy but then Robotnik rammed his insecurities in my face so, Threats, but kind of weird tho, damn these bitches need to sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:47:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25049389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madnessmuse/pseuds/madnessmuse
Summary: The moment Stone's finger pressed down on the snap button on his phone was the moment Agent Stone questioned if maybe he was stretching the definition of 'professional interest' just a tad too far.He might not be the only one.
Relationships: Dr. Eggman | Dr. Robotnik/Agent Stone
Comments: 12
Kudos: 102





	Picturesque

Doctor Robotnik had seemed exceptionally tired one morning. 

Certainly not a rare occurrence considering the doctor so often insisted on working into the early hours of the morning, in spite of Stone's numerous carefully-worded polite protests (things such as a healthy work life balance or sleeping pattern be damned, apparently.)

That being said, it was definitely a first when Stone had re-entered the lab with two steaming mugs of latte – a mere half an hour into his shift no less – only to find his boss face down on the desk.

Quickly setting the two mugs down and almost spilling them in the process, his heart beat furiously in his throat as he rushed to the doctor's side, worried that the man had fallen ill, or could be hurt or -

The doctor let out a soft noise, one that Stone recognised to be snoring. Oh.

Or his boss could have simply fallen asleep, apparently. The doctor was, despite his wishes, only human after all.

Cautiously inching closer, a smile grew on Stone's face as he spotted what appeared to be the end of the doctor's tongue peeping out between the man's slack lips. 

The agent knew he was taking a risk. If the doctor was to awake right now he'd surely be furious, getting in his face and spitting groggy venomous words that managed to slice through even the agent's relatively thick skin.

And yet Stone couldn’t bring himself to look away. 

He'd never seen his boss look so... relaxed before.

Awake, the doctor had this near constant tension surrounding him, even the slightest miscalculation being enough to set the man off. 

Hunched shoulders, clenched jaw, teeth grinding together so furiously Stone could hear it from the other side of the room...

It worried Stone. That amount of stress couldn't be healthy. God knew how high the scientist's blood pressure was.

Perhaps that was why he tolerated the daily verbal lashings; If the doctor needed an outlet, a punching bag, Stone would grit his teeth and happily be that outlet.

Eerily the agent realised he'd do anything for this man. Anything, so long as he got to work at the doctor's side and have the privilege of seeing the genius at his most vulnerable.

Robotnik's eyes were shut allowing the agent to examine the doctor's rather long dark lashes. His face was free from the tension it always seemed to carry during the man's waking hours. A slight bit of dribble seeped down the doctor's unshaved chin, pooling down on the desk beneath.

And the agent noted, his smile growing wider with every moment the doctor remained asleep, his tongue was still sticking out. 

It was like observing a tranquilized wild animal, all the danger and manic energy swept away.

Robotnik looked kind of cute like this, Stone realised.

_Cute_. A man that had singlehandedly revolutionised the robotics industry, stopped a country from forming and resolved multiple turf scuffles in the middle east.

And stone thought he looked cute.

Other government agents always claimed that the doctor was crazy, a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode in Uncle Sam's face. 

Perhaps they were mistaken. Perhaps Stone was the crazy one, driving mad by the doctor's constant demands and precise perfectionism.

Well if this was madness, this was fine. More than fine, he realised, as he watched the slow rise and fall of the doctor's chest. His heart fluttered at the sound of the soft mumbles that left his boss's slack lips.

Creeping closer, his body on autopilot, the sound of the doctor's soft snores steadily growing louder as the agent drew near. A lock of the doctor's hair stuck to his forehead and Stone had to fight the impulse to sweep it back behind his ears. 

Barely even registering the movement, his right hand had swiftly pulled out and unlocked his personal smartphone, thumb pressing down on the camera icon and snapping a picture of the doctor's peaceful face.

For one horrifying moment, the agent imagined he'd left the flash on. He could picture the doctor's outraged expression as he jolted awake, agitated but barely conscious, the man swiping his phone and flinging it wildly across the room.

Thankfully, the flash wasn't on and the doctor simply grumbled in his sleep and snuggled further into his crossed arms. Stone breathed a heavy sigh of relief. That'd been a stupid risk to take. 

But Stone thought with a smile as his eyes were already drawn to the capture, certainly a lucrative one. 

-

That night, Stone tossed and turned in his bed, groaning in frustration. Sleep just wouldn't take him. His mind was still whirling from the rather challenging day, sans the privilege of marvelling at the sight of the great doctor Robotnik, vulnerable and snoozing on his desk.

Stone sighed, utterly fed up with watching the hours tick by, each one ominously nearing the time set on his phone's alarm clock. He couldn't be late to work, he wouldn't be, the doctor would kill him-

Hm, phone. The doctor. The picture...

Grabbing his phone, he quickly slid through the gallery, sliding past all the bland boring selfies of himself and friends and family until he reached the most important one. The only picture he had of the doctor himself. 

And there it was, the lone close up view of his boss's sleeping face, the caption reading: ' _time; yesterday, 7:42AM_ '.

A smile tugged at the agent's lips; he knew it was wrong, an unforgivable breach in privacy. But it was almost as though a small part of the doctor was right there with him.

He placed the phone carefully on top of the other throw pillow, pulling the blanket up over them both.

"Goodnight, doctor," Stone murmured to himself in the pitch black of his bedroom. 

He was out like a light.

-

Pacing about his lab at an hour even he thought was too late to be productive, Doctor Robotnik slammed his hands down against the cold glass of the console.

Well this day had been an infuriating waste of time! An absolute disaster to even the most basic primitive mind! Not that Robotnik was surprised, oh no never surprised. He had known today would be as unproductively spent as the average nine to five blue collar worker the moment his oh so _simple_ assistant had nudged him awake. After he'd wasted an entire twenty six minutes and twelve seconds unconscious at his desk. Twenty six whole minutes, washed away like dirty water down a drain!

He'd then spent the next sixteen minutes of his ruined morning reprehending Stone after the man had the absolute appalling gall to suggest that 'm _aybe he should go back to bed for a few hours, take the morning off'_! As if he, the smartest man on Earth or that has ever been on earth, was a sickly child who needed to be tucked in to bed by his mother!

As if he'd ever had a mother. Or any parental figures.

Robotnik huffed, refusing to go down that mental road. Parents; who needs 'em. He turned out well enough on his own. Even better; he raised himself perfectly, teaching himself everything from basic English literature to advanced calculus to everything in between.

He was _perfect_ ; his mind had the efficiency of a machine stored in an unfortunately lacking flesh prison. That being stated, he certainly didn't need some slack jawed government lackey of all people to mother him. Robotnik scoffed. As if Stone wouldn't jump at the chance to be reassigned. As if he wouldn't beg for it even.

_After all, who wouldn't?_

No, Stone didn't really care. It was impossible. His sickeningly sweet smiles and thoughtful little gifts meant nothing; all just poor attempts to appease him, like a peasant would bring tribute to a vengeful god in a measly effort to save their own skin. 

The doctor sank into his desk chair, fury coiling low in his gut. All thoughts of working on his latest prototype were pushed aside. Glaring sightlessly at his computer, his hands shook with rage at the thought of Stone. Stone! His spineless assistant, another human waste of carbon. The man meant nothing to him.

Didn't he?

Then why had he felt so betrayed when he caught Stone looking at his phone repeatedly with that same adoring expression which was usually reserved for him? Why had Stone ( _his_ agent, _his_ punching bag, _his_ tool) staring at another with the very same devotion that was _his_ _alone_ filled him with such hatred?

Robotnik steepled his fingers. His leg bounced frantically up and down rattling the desk. He couldn't... couldn't possibly feel some level of... affection for his agent, could he?

No! He immediately rejected the thought, shaking his head. _No_. Attachments were weaknesses just waiting to exploited by one's foes. He knew that, he was a genius. Even greater still, he was the smartest man that had ever walked the planet. And while human relations were certainly not his expertise, he would figure this out.

Perhaps it was simply a feeling of possession. Robotnik relaxed, that odd frantic feeling of turmoil dissipating as he had seemingly found an answer that made logical sense.

Agent Stone had worked as his assistant for far longer than any of his predecessors. The doctor checked todays date. Three hundred and forty days to be exact. Nearly a whole year now. Certainly unprecedented.

On the first day of Stone's reassignment as the doctor's assistant, Robotnik took one disdainful look at him and mentally bet it would take a week, tops, to break the newest intrusion. To send him running for the hills and begging for the days of active duty.

Then Stone had lasted for six days. Then a full month. Then two. Then six and now nearly an entire _year_.

At first he'd been furious, insulted that this agent Who The Fuck Cares dare defy his expectations. 

He'd screamed into the agents face at every tiny mistake, made the man work overtime, consistently humiliated him, eventually even resorted to threatening his _life_... and Stone had took the brunt of his fury every time. Shaking knees, wet fearful eyes, body quivering perhaps... but curiously, he never left. 

And the doctor had never bothered to wonder as to _why_ until now.

After all, it wasn’t that Robotnik _couldn'_ _t_ break the man, he'd simply had projects to complete and bigger fish to fry. Or so he'd told himself.

As the weeks rolled on, and the agent became more adjusted to the doctor's haphazardous work cycle, Robotnik had gradually lost interest in him.

Eventually Stone even seemingly managed to blend into the mechanical scenery of his humble abode, his presence often unnoticed by the doctor himself unless the agent purposely drew his attention away from his work.

And, shockingly enough, Robotnik had been fine with that. All the previous assistants - the doctor had felt their filthy presence in his lab itching away at the back of his mind. A constant annoyance. Intolerable.

Stone's presence though was strangely... bearable. At least in comparison.

It was almost nice having someone to monologue to. To explain the intricacies of his designs and plans to. Even if most of the feedback he got from the simpering twit was ' _t_ _hat's amazing sir!_ ' or ' _you’re a genius_!' Ha, as if he hadn't already known that.

Ah, but Stone had also achieved the one thing that all before him had failed at.

Stone had made himself a _convenience_. 

Instead of having to get up and grab whatever tool he'd needed, he'd have Stone fetch it - loyal government dog that he was. 

He needed a caffeine boost in between bouts of intense and strenuous work? Stone made fantastic lattes. Inbox cluttered with useless drivel from braindead military officials? Stone could sort through them individually and file them by level of importance.

Gradually, the doctor had trusted his assistant enough to fulfil these tasks automatically.

In essence his agent worked like a machine, or as close to one a human other than him could get anyway. And the doctor wouldn't have it any other way.

His eyes squinted suspiciously, glaring at nothing. So what was with Stone's recent lapse in concentration? What was just _oh so fascinating_ on his pathetically basic mobile phone that it stole away his assistant's attention?

Attention that solely _belonged to him._

The good doctor sneered. Well If Stone had no qualms dragging his social life into the workplace then surely he couldn’t object to his boss checking up on him. 

Besides everyone knew privacy was a myth in this day and age anyway, what with the rise of social media and the good ol' watchful eye of Uncle Sam.

Robotnik felt positively gleeful at this latest experiment. Gloved fingers tapped away feverishly at his keyboard.

A matter of inputs into his console and any and all security crumbled in on itself.

It was simply _childsplay_ to hack into the agent's phone, the scientist noted with a smirk. Even government level security was no match for the power of his mind or the tech at its disposal.

Leaning towards his powerhouse of a console, Robotnik grinned maliciously as he copied the agent's data and files onto his personal computer. Stone just made it too easy, the man not even bothering to encrypt any of his files. Ha!

Robotnik questioned for a moment what could have Stone so preoccupied. 

Family matters? Friends?

…A lover perhaps? Robotnik's face screwed up at that last possibility. For some reason the mental image of anyone touching his agent in a - _sexual -_ manner left a peculiar distaste at the pit of stomach. Ugh. Mixing saliva, rude grabby hands - the thought made him want to vomit. Yes, that must be it. Nothing more.

It was of no matter anyway. He'd pry Stone's secrets from his very own hardware and find out for himself. That'd surely teach Stone an important lesson; nobody, absolutely no one was more important than _him_.

His eyes were drawn to the newest of the downloaded png files at the top left of the screen. The date of its creation:

_'time; yesterday, 7:42AM'_

The file had been opened several times throughout Stone's shift yesterday and, curiously enough, once again today. At past two in the morning no less? Suspicious.

Robotnik smiled a wicked grin. With no hesitation he clicked on the file.

_Gotcha._

-

Knocking on the door to the mobile lab, agent Stone couldn't help but feel a little on edge. Maybe it was just the lack of sleep from last night or something off he'd eaten but something told him that the doctor wouldn't be in a good mood that morning.

Call it a gut instinct. Something Robotnik would surely mock him for believing in.

Usually, Stone could hear drilling and banging and occasionally barely coherent yelling through the thick walls that made up the portable lab. But today there was only silence. The air felt too still, the kind of still that happened right before a major natural or Ivo Robotnik related disaster.

Stone's hands fiddled with the smart black tie and button up he always wore as the bright red sensor attached to the door scrutinized him up and down. He wasn't late, he was as well dressed as usual and yet warning sirens were still blaring in his mind.

He looked up at the quiet tell-tale _bing_ and the door to the lab slid open slowly.

Stepping in, the eerie silence continued. Stone swallowed the urge to up and leave. Even the soft hum of machinery and the drones whizzing about seemed strangely muted.

He wondered if Robotnik was even here. Perhaps he'd slept in late? Took the day off? No that didn't make sense. In all his time working for the doctor the man had never been late nor taken a single day off. The doctor didn't believe in sick days after all.

Walking through the corridor, the mobile lab felt half-dead. Only the emergency lights up above hinted at some form of life. His footsteps clanged loudly against the metallic flooring as he strode towards the main lab, worry hurrying his steps.

Entering the main lab, it became abundantly clear that the doctor was indeed present. Sitting in his customary seat, Dr Robotnik sat facing his console, fingers steepled together and legs folded elegantly. The man did even twitch when Stone entered rather abruptly through the door.

"Good, ah, good morning doctor." Stone scratched the back of his neck, hoping he didn't sound _too_ nervous. Like a predator in the wild, Robotnik could sense weakness in others. Something that especially disgusted him about humanity.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, the agent coughed into one hand, hoping for some sort of response. Maybe the doctor just hadn't heard him?

The doctor had indeed heard him.

Stone choked down whatever he'd been about to say as the doctor whirled around in his seat, his coat tail whipping at Stone's ankles and seething hate burning in his dark gaze.

Unconsciously, Stone took a step back.

"Agent Stone," the doctor's tone was pleasant, almost _kind_ in spite of the anger in his eyes. And _that_ couldn't mean anything good. "Are you familiar with clause 17 part B under the government contract that you signed when you took this reassignment? The contract that if any such clause was violated would result in immediate ground for termination?"

"I-um-" Stone's thoughts were whirling, mind desperately trying to recall the exact clause in the practically bible length contract Robotnik was talking about. A sinking pit of despair filled the void of his empty stomach when he came up blank.

Out of the corner of his eyes, the agent could make out the tell-tale signs of Robotnik's paper-thin patience running out; the slight curling of his lips, his long elegant pianist-like fingers tapping together repeatedly...

He was running out of time. He had to answer.

In the end he settled on the truth.

"I'm afraid I don't remember the exact clause doctor."

His boss sneered cruelly in response, voice dropping the faux kindness when he next commanded;

"Pin yourself to the _fucking_ wall agent."

Not having a death wish, Stone did exactly that – he barely even registered his hand reaching up to grasp and thrust his own chest into the metal wall behind him. 

Robotnik stalked towards him with slow and calculating footsteps, not stopping until he was a hair widths away from the agents face. Close enough to share breath, Stone realised distantly; the warmth of the doctor's breath tickled his skin. 

Almost close enough to kiss. Always so, so close...

Stone struggled to retain eye contact, his gaze drifting down and down and lingering on soft but chapped lips...

The doctor slammed both hands on either side of his head, jolting Stone away from such distracting thoughts. Thoughts Robotnik would surely find disgusting and distasteful. 

The sound of Robotnik's open palms smacking against metal ricocheted around the lab and damn near pierced his eardrums. Despite being overly-familiar with his boss's need to intimidate others and dominate any conversation, much like a particularly territorial animal acts when threatened, Stone couldn’t quite suppress a wince.

"Clause 17 part B states, and I quote, 'that any and all unauthorised filming or photographing of any classified projects, equipment or _persons-_ '" Robotnik pointedly glares down at him, words coated with venom . "-is strictly forbidden and may lead to termination'. Got that through your thick skull?"

Stone's eyes widened, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Oh. The picture. Oh _shit_. He could have slapped himself, how could he not of thought of this, of course Robotnik would find out-

"Now what I want to know, is what the hell you were planning on doing with that picture."

"What, did you take that photo so you could pass it around to all your good fellow agent _chums_?" Robotnik hissed, eyes filled with an age old anger and an even older hurt. "Have a good ol' laugh with the gang at my expense? Think you can get away with _mocking_ me agent!? Well _!?_ " The doctor inched impossibly closer, the tip of his nose pressing into Stone's. He needed to speak, to say something, _anything_. The situation was wildly spiralling and every moment the agent was silent was only adding fuel to the fire of the doctor's paranoia. 

But his mouth felt too dry, as if the lining of his throat had been sawed apart by sandpaper.

Robotnik pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed dramatically. "Come on Stone, no need to be shy. Use those vocal cords of yours." The doctor patted the top of his head roughly before latching onto his hair and dragging him down towards the device attached to the scientist's wrist. Stone choked on his own spit. " _Speak_. Oh and do be warned, I will know if you're lying. You wouldn’t lie to _me_ agent, would you?" There was a certain savagery to the words. Stone shuddered, vaguely recalling the number of past agents of the doctor's that suddenly went _missing_.

He had to speak. Now.

"I, um, w-well it's just," Stone stopped and took a breath. The gloved hand returned, tightening around his hair warningly. He had to be truthful. He had to be _coherent._ He had to. "It's just. You always seem so stressed, sir. I know you - that you care about your work and it's not my place but - but I worry about you, doctor. I've noticed that you don't eat enough, y-you don't sleep enough and you – well you never seem _happy_." He was babbling, embarrassingly so, but it felt so _good_ , felt like a weight off his chest to tell his boss, no, the most important man in his entire world, this. "I'm sorry I took that photo. It was stupid and selfish and an invasion of your privacy but - but I'd never seen you look so relaxed before. A-and seeing you relaxed, seeing you happy, well it makes me happy too, doctor."

"It makes me happy because _I care about you,"_ Stone stressed.

There. Now it was out. He couldn't take the words back even if he wanted to. And Stone realised, he _didn’t_ want to. Even if he was about to be fired for breaking his contract. Even if he'd practically handed Robotnik the excuse on a silver platter that he'd needed to get rid of him. 

Or maybe the doctor would simply laugh at him, mock him, call him pathetic. 

Maybe he'd even view him as too pitiful to fire.

A minute past and the snide comments never came. That and Robotnik's gloved hand was starting to feel rather slack against his head. Hesitantly, Stone looked up from the wrist device forcefully pressed against his face. Robotnik let him, fingers curling possessively around his short hair for one blissful second before fully releasing him.

The agent waited a moment more for the verbal lashing that was sure to come, but his boss remained oddly silent. Stone wasn't sure if that was more or less disconcerting.

Stone licked his lips, nervous at the lack of response. "I – Sir are you going to fire me?" He couldn't quite hide the tinge of fear in his voice. The thought of being fired for such a stupid mistake was excruciating. The thought of leaving Robotnik's side much more so.

Stone couldn't take much more of this. The doctor still wasn't answering. He wasn't even looking at him, the man staring unseeingly at his wrist device.

"Sir? Doctor Robotnik?" Stone sighed then raising his voice by at least a decibel said, " _Sir_ _!_ "

The doctor _jumped_ , physically recoiling from the noise. Stone swallowed the automatic apology caught in his throat.

The doctor was still glancing at the wrist device and Stone's own eyes slid down to it. Said device showed a list of Stone's own vitals; breathing, heart rate, spikes in his tone of voice...

Oh. A polygraph. Working for the US government, particularly as a secret agent, Stone was well familiar with such devices. Though he'd never seen one quite so advanced before. Remarkable, like all of the doctor's creations.

The lists went into intricate detail, so much so that even the agent was having difficulties deciphering what all the readings meant.

Stone swallowed nervously. Whatever the results were, they seemed to have surprised the doctor. Whether that was a good sign, however, remained to be seen.

" _Not_ lying," Robotnik muttered, incredulous. Stone sagged in confused relief.

The doctor opened his mouth before quickly snapping his lips shut again. The scientist's wild gaze darted frantically between the readings of the lie detector, as if willing them to change, and his assistant. Disbelief coloured his features. 

Finally, like a shy child, his gaze dropped to the floor.

Stone frowned. He'd never seen his boss look so _lost_ before.

"No. No no no. Impossible," the denial so harshly muttered through clenched teeth, Stone could barely make out what the scientist was saying.

"Sir I... Doctor are you... okay?" Stone tentatively asked.

There was no response other than a brief, childlike shaking of the head.

The agent reached out in a blind attempt at comfort, hands wrapping around the sharp edge of the doctor's shoulders. He should have stopped. It was foolish to attempt to comfort a man who so despised every living thing on the planet.

In hindsight he should have thought before reaching out. It was an unspoken rule between the two since as long as Stone had worked for the doctor. No physical contact - atleast none initiated by Stone. It was a rule unbroken. Until now.

Then something unexpected happened. Something the agent had never seen before. Something he never wanted to see again.

Robotnik bodily flinched away like he was struck, a gasp hitching in his throat. 

One hand clenched and unclenched rapidly at the still doctor's side. His expression twisted in anguish and confusion - as if the man Stone had never so much as seen stutter in a sentence was about to break down and _cry_.

Distantly, Stone realised that he should probably drop his hands and release the doctor. 

He didn't.

"I-I don't understand." It was as quiet as Stone had ever heard his boss speak. The slight waver in his voice almost broke the agent's heart.

How long had it been since somebody, _anybody_ , had told the doctor they cared about him? Entirely too long apparently. If it had ever happened before _at all_.

"It's true sir, I swear, I promise you, I'm telling the truth." Gently, as if handling a newborn, Stone reached up and cupped Robotnik's face, thumbs pressing light circles at the man's temples. 

" _Why? H-how could you-_ " Stone shushed him, placing a thumb against his lips. He didn't want to hear any more of that; the answer was blindingly obvious anyway.

"Because I love you."

The doctor let out a strangled half sob before, miraculously, his own arms shakily lifted and clutched desperately at Stone like a lifeline. Stone's fingers carded soothingly through the scientist's cropped hair in response.

He couldn't quite stop himself from pulling Robotnik closer, selfishly stealing the heat and scent that was unmistakably the doctor's.

Robotnik didn’t protest so Stone dared to venture further. He nuzzled the older man's head into the crook of his shoulder, the agent rested his chin in his mussed hair. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions; Robotnik was quite a bit taller than him after all. But he didn't mind. 

_No,_ Stone thought, lips grazing against Robotnik's furrowed brow _, h_ _e_ _d_ _idn't mind at all._

They stood there – boss and employee, a scientist and assistant, a man who can barely comprehend love and a man too infatuated to care - for what felt like hours. But little by little Stone felt the tension, the constant tension in the doctor's body that was always present, ease. The way he _melted_ in Stone's arms, the way he breathed just a touch more softly against Stone's skin.

It felt like _paradise_ ; the warmth radiating from the doctor's skin was more addicted to Stone than any drug ever could be.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and he felt the doctor tentatively try to pull away. Stone let him, releasing his hold on the older man's waist, but not before subtly running his hands along his ribcage, frowning, feeling the far-too-sharp edges of bone against skin. _Ivo_ _r_ _eally should eat m_ _ore..._

The doctor stepped back, eyes cloudy and downcast. It was the closest Stone had ever seen his boss to lookingashamed.

"Tha-" Robotnik stopped, remembering himself. "Your assistance is... _appreciated_ , agent." It was the most begrudging appreciation Stone had ever heard and the doctor was still refusing to look him in the eye but still, it was music to his ears. Stone grinned like the idiot his boss always claimed he was.

"Anytime doctor," Stone played along. "I'll, um, delete the picture-"

"Keep it."

"Wh-"

"The picture. Keep it. Something to identify me by in the very, _very_ unlikely event that I ever go AWOL." Robotnik was already striding away from him, sitting back at his customary desk.

"Thank you doctor!"

Robotnik rolled his eyes at the sheer _glee_ in his agent's tone. He told himself the sudden warmth coiling low in his abdomen was from revulsion and certainly not anything close to affection. Told himself he believed the obvious lie. "Yes, yes, now get over here _mon ami_. Shockingly enough, there's actual work to be done."

With no hesitation Stone joined him at his right side as always. Hands clasped behind his back professionally and lips curved in a gentle smile that held a touch too much fondness to be deemed appropriate.

Not that Robotnik minded. _No, h_ _e didn’t mind at all._

-

He should be asleep, Stone reminded himself. Yet, once again Stone found himself lounging on the couch and scrolling through his phone at brain-dead stupid hours. Yawning, Stone scrolled mindlessly through old texts and tried to pointedly _not_ check the countless work emails in his inbox. He was tired, the hour was late, he was procrastinating and General Whoever can definitely wait until tomorrow.

It'd been over a week since what Stone eloquently dubbed the 'Phone Incident' occurred and since then surprisingly little had changed at work. The doctor remained hyperfixated on one task to the next, argumentative and combative yet overly-defensive and prickly.

Still, little wasn't nothing. Stone noticed that the doctor had been oddly... _t_ _o_ _uchy,_ of all thingsrecently. Their hands brushing together for a few seconds too long when Stone passed the doctor his coffee, the way Robotnik drifted just a bit too close when he was showing off his latest invention or blueprint...

The changes went beyond physical too, Stone realised. Every now and again when Stone passed the doctor his usual morning coffee with a placating smile, Stone _swore_ he saw the corners of the doctor's lips curl upwards and his gaze soften, if only minutely. 

Every reprimand seemed just a little less harsh, the usually razor-sharp words seeming dulled. Stone was starting to think they were somewhat _half-hearted,_ even.

And while neither had spoken about what the incidentlast week, or the sappy confession that may or may not have occurred, Stone dared to dream the subtle shift in their working dynamic wasn't just a figment of his overactive imagination. 

Robotnik was all too often content on shutting out any unwanted intrusions, up to and unfortunately including Stone. Usually, the man would shut himself away from the world and its many prying eyes, toiling away at some great invention or another that was certain to please some jumped up major or corporation or government or _whatever_ that had ordered its construction.

Sometimes for hours. 

Alone. No rest. No break. 

Sometimes, rarely, those long hours in the lab stretched into whole days - those days were some of the hardest to bear in the agent's long and bloody career; the guilt would gnaw at Stone, as unrelenting and unforgiving as active duty had once been.

Then, as abruptly as it would begin, the doctor would emerge from his mechanical dwelling, quiet and haggard but never defeated. Victorious against his own biological limits.

The last few days, however, the doctor had been what Stone could only describe as _clingy_. Whether it be travelling together via airplane, working in the lab or berating idiots his boss considered beneath him (I.e. Everyone on the planet), Robotnik never wanted to stray too far from his right hand man. And didn't seem particularly pleased when said right hand man broke this new, tentative unspoken rule, either. 

The doctor had even taken to tugging on his hand insistently until the agent relented and let himself be dragged to wherever Robotnik pleased.

Not that Stone minded, of course. If anything, he cherished the sudden attention. After months and months of mistrust and walking on eggshells, it was satisfying to finally feel _trusted -_ by a man who trusted no one. It was an honour Stone doubted he'd ever earn.

The sound of his phone buzzing knocked the agent out of his thoughts. One in the morning and his phone was buzzing. Despite how tired he felt Stone's curiosity was peaked. Who the hell was contacting him at this hour?

However when he checked his recent contacts, there was no number. Instead a command.

_Stone. Read this. Now._

Okay. Work then. 

Jolting alert, the previous weariness faded swiftly with the years of experience he had under his belt working odd hours.

He did as instructed, tapping on the notification.

It was... well, it was a selfie.

Of doctor Robotnik.

Stone blinked, equally amounts befuddled as he was awestruck. After pinching himself to make sure he really was awake (miraculously, he was) Stone brought the phone closer, the need to observe _everything_ overtaking his senses.

The doctor looked sweaty and exhausted but held an utterly triumphantgrin on his face _._ The type that spoke of painstakingly achieved satisfaction, of hours toiling away in the lab.

Stone couldn’t help but smile with him, proud.

Robotnik was dressed in an oil-stained grey undershirt and cargo pants, a far cry from the usual black overcoat and baggy slacks he wore in the lab. His goggles were askew and his unwashed hair stuck slick to his forehead with sweat. He looked... magnificent. Stone couldn't stop his eyes from wondering and catching on the pale, lean yet defined biceps poking out from beneath the grey sleaves.

The sheer amount of skin on display was normal for any other man but for Robotnik...

Well. It was almost _obscene_.

Stone averted his gaze with a sharp intake of breath, cheeks flushing an incriminating scarlet. 

Ahem-

Next to the doctor was the engine for the project Robotnik simply named 'The Prototype'. He'd offered no further explanation when Stone had asked earlier that day and Stone knew better than to pry further. The doctor would reveal more when he was ready.

It did sound rather dramatic though. Even for the doctor's standards.

He hoped it wasn't _too_ dangerous.

Lord knew that the doctor had about as much respect for health and safety protocols as he did for meandering politicians.

When he felt his phone buzz a second time, Stone turned his attention back to the screen.

_Stone! Did you get it? Did you see? I've finished putting the final touches on my latest and greatest engine! Isn't she beautiful?_

Stone was quick to reply, giving the doctor the validation he so clearly craved.

_She is beautiful, doctor!_

Robotnik replied so rapidly Stone was fairly certain he'd already written out his reply.

_Well of course she is. I built her you fool._

_Now all I need to do is find a reliable power source and then the prototype will be ready, Stone! My magnum opus! And those jumped up Neanderthals at the Pentagon said it was impossible, HA!_

This time, Stone was a little slower to respond. 

While he didn't want to rain on the doctor's parade, time was ticking away. Atleast one of them should be coherent in tomorrow's scheduled meeting with the top brass and Stone knew better than to assume it would be Robotnik.

_That's great doctor! I can't wait to see it. However... it's getting pretty late and we've got a meeting tomorrow morning – it's important, concerning funding unfortunately. Talk to you later?_

This time it took a little while for the doctor to respond. Stone was starting to worry he'd upset the man - he didn't mean to brush the other off - when a new message popped up:

_Fine. Don't be late._

Stone couldn't help but feel a tad guilty for cutting off the doctor's bragging time. Even over text, Stone could tell the scientist was probably sulking.

He thumbed the power button hesitantly, about to switch off, when an idea struck him. Stupid and most certainly unprofessional? Yes, but also far too tempting to pass up. He could deal with the consequences tomorrow.

Bringing up his camera, Stone couldn't help but cringe seeing the dark bags under his eyes. He knew he it was due to lack of sleep, but Stone couldn't help but think that the years of pulling all-nighters were starting to catch up to him.

Frankly, he didn't know how the doctor still functioned.

He tactfully positioned his phone, both to hide the dark circles and slightly embarrassing pajamas he put on, oh, a good few hours ago.

Finally he gave a shy smile to the camera, one hand raised in a half-hearted attempt at a wave.

Too tired to think on it more, his thumb had already decided for him, sliding across his recent contacts until he reached the most recent; _unknown number._

Huh. Figures.

Stone hit send and swiftly turned his phone off before he could overthink it.

_Goodnight Ivo_. _Try to get some sleep okay? =)_

_-_

It wasn't until the morning that Stone realised with bleary eyes and childlike excitement that the doctor had indeed replied and only a mere ten minutes later than the last text he sent. 

It was just two plain and simple words. Just two. Yet they filled his heart with a warmth the agent had scarcely felt before.

_Goodnight Aban._


End file.
